Quote:
Originally Posted by Hersbird
I think what might happen in the EPA test is the acceleration is based on throttle position not a defined rate of acceleration. If they defined the rate of acceleration some cars may not even be able to achieve it. So in the EPA test the automatic is allowed to accelerate more moderately and shifted sooner.
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As you can imagine, designing a test that fits all car/trans/engine combinations fairly is not possible.
For the NEDC tests, the cars is required to accelerate in X gear up to Y speed in Z time, slow to Q speed in R time and so on. The tests are done in at a fairly relaxed rate so even the slowest cars can complete them (especially since cars get faster every year and the tests are now quite old).
With an automatic, the test merely require accelerate to Y speed in Z time. The manufacturers can program the shift points as they like. This is why you see cars with robotised manual 'automatics' do better than full manuals that are otherwise identical -the only variable is shift points.
So yes, automatics are just another form of cycle beating.